Lace up my Armor
by CaptainSammyAngel
Summary: Select Fathers days from Mia Smoak-Queens life from ages 4 to 19.


**_Seeing that there are only 2 stories with Mia Smoak-Queen on this website, I decided to cross-post my latest one-shot from AO3 to here. I hope you like this! I don't own any of the characters they belong to DC, Dc comics and the CW._**

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**_~Bloomsfield, Sunday, June 18, 2023.~_**

It was father's day and Mia Smoak wasn't happy or smiling. She was nervous, taking a deep breath, Mia walked in her mom's bedroom, seeing Felicity in bed with papers all around "Mommy?" She called out softly. Felicity looked up from her paperwork and smiled "Hey, baby. What are you doing up?" She questioned as she gathered the papers up. Mia slowly stepped closer "Mommy can you tell me about daddy? Please?" She asked hopefully, giving her mom a puppy dog pout.

Felicity tried to resist but within a few moments she nodded and patted the space next to her "Come sit next to me and I'll tell you." She said sweetly, with a soft smile. The nervousness on Mia's face transformed into a smile and she raced to climb on her mom's bed and snuggle next to Felicity "What story do you want to hear?" Felicity asked softly, her eyebrow raised. Mia thought for a second then looked at her mom excitedly "When you and Daddy first met. Please, mommy?" Mia begged, her eyes big and pleading.

Felicity remembers the day she met Oliver like it was yesterday, ignoring the ache she has in her chest she smiled "Well, your daddy and I met when he came to me with a busted laptop." She began the story. Mia looked at her mother confused "How did the laptop get busted?" She asked curiously. Felicity shook her head, amused "Daddy said he spilled coffee on it." She said in a silly voice. Mia giggled and shook her head "Silly daddy." She admonished with a small smile. Felicity small smiled "Yeah, silly daddy indeed... But that's not what really happened, sweetheart." She admitted truthfully. Mia gasped "Why would daddy lie?" She wondered curiously.

Despite telling Mia that spilling coffee on the laptop was not true, she wasn't going to tell her four-year-old that the laptop was full of bullet holes, Felicity smiled brightly "He wanted to challenge me. To see if I would help him." She clarified seeing her daughter become more confused. Mia still was confused though "Why? Why couldn't he tell auntie Tea?" She questioned.

Felicity sighed "Daddy was away... for a while and everyone he knew before was treating him the way he was before he was away. He wanted to protect his family and friends, which includes auntie tea so he came to me and asked me to get any information I could find off of the computer. I did, gave it to him and he left but that wasn't the last time I saw him." She finished with a knowing smile.

Mia smiled brightly "Cause I'm here!" She exclaimed happily. Felicity laughed as she started to tickle Mia "Yes you are and you're the best thing that's happened to me and your daddy." She told her honestly after she stopped tickling and Mia's shrieks of laughter were over. Lying down close to Felicity "Mommy, I hope wherever daddy is... I hope he knows I love him." She said quietly before closing her eyes.

Felicity sighed as she heard Mia's breathing slow, she tucks a lock of hair from her face behind Mia's ear. Her daughter was innocent, well, innocent as she could be in the situation... but that's coming to an end in a few months since Nyssa's coming to start training Mia. Felicity hoped that her innocence doesn't slip away all at once.

_**~Bloomsfield, Sunday, June 21, 2028,~**_

Mia ran up the patio steps and into the kitchen where Felicity was making dinner "Mommy! I'm ready! Auntie Nyssa says I'm ready!" She exclaimed excitedly. Felicity puts down the knife and smiled at her daughter "Ready for what?" She asked curiously, raising her eyebrow at Nyssa as she walked through the door. "To fight with weapons!" Mia exclaimed practically jumping up and down. Felicity's heart jumped into her throat... weapons, knives, bow staffs, and arrows, etc. "Mia can you please finish your homework and then wash up for dinner." She asked her daughter calmly. Mia nodded before running out of the room "No running in the house mia!" She called out before exhaling heavily.

Nyssa's face had a calm demeanor "Don't worry. Your daughter will be safe I promise." She said calmly. Felicity stared hard at Nyssa "She better be or I swear the Thanatos league is the least of your worries." She said seriously and protectively as she returned to making dinner. Nyssa cleared her throat "I'll be going into town so I won't be joining you for dinner." She answered the unspoken question. Felicity nodded "Mia! Auntie Nyssa's leaving, come say goodbye." She called out. In a few seconds, Mia came speeding into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Nyssas waist "Bye Auntie Nyssa." She said quietly before she let go. Nyssa smiled tightly at the eight-year-old "Bye little warrior." She whispered as she walked away and out the door. Felicity smiled at Mia, stroking her hair "Baby, go finish your homework then it's time for dinner, ok?" She said softly. Mia nodded "Ok, mommy." She answered before she went back to her room to finish her homework.

Ten minutes later, the Smoak women were eating dinner and throughout they talked about a number of things but mostly Mia's animated chatter about her training. Felicity didn't want to squelch her daughter's happiness just yet so she smiled and nodded as Mia talked her head off.

After clearing the table, Mia smiled "Story time?" She asked with a smile. Felicity nodded as she closed the dishwasher "Yes, so go get ready and meet me in my room." She confirmed happily, brightly smiling. Mia nodded eagerly before rushing out of the kitchen to get ready '"Mia, no running in the house!" She reminded her daughter loudly. "Yes, mom!" Mia called out back. Felicity chuckled softly as she shook her head at her daughter's antics. She didn't blame Mia for being excited, while she tells Mia about the heroics of Team Arrow all the time but the ones significant to her and Oliver? Seem to be told on Fathers day every year like a tradition. When Felicity walked into her room she saw Mia dressed in a t-shirt and pajama shorts on the bed "Ready for the story?" She asked with a smile. Mia nodded quickly "Yes mom, please." She said barely containing her excitement.

Felicity went over and sat down on her side "Which one do you want to hear?" She asked curiously. Mia always asked for a specific story "When you and Daddy started to trust each other." She requested, her eyes pleading. Felicity cleared her throat "Well, your Auntie Thea had taken a drug which made you disoriented and caused your brain to think you were in pain. Daddy as the Hood tried to stop the maker but had unwillingly taken it when the maker injected him." She began solemnly. Mia gasped "Poor daddy!" She exclaimed in horror.

Felicity nodded "Poor daddy indeed, but he got a sample and gave it to me to analyze. I did it despite the pitiful excuse he gave." She continued, chuckling at the end. Mia raised her eyebrow "What excuse mom?" She asked genuinely curious. Felicity bit her lip "The sample was the syringe that your daddy was injected with and he said that it was a sports drink and he an out of sports bottles." She said trying to keep her face straight. Mia burst out laughing, tears coming down her face. The laughing didn't calm down for a few minutes until Mia took deep breaths to regulate her breathing "What happened next?" She wondered eagerly.

Felicity had a sly smile on her face "With the info for the analysis, Daddy was able to find the maker of the drug, give him a taste of his own medicine and stop them from making any more of the drug." She exclaimed victoriously. "But what about you and daddy?" She asked impatiently.

Felicity licked her lips "After that, I met daddy at Big belly burger and revealed something I'd been keeping to myself for weeks and asked him if I could trust him. He said I could despite the awful lies he told me." She finished the story. Mia lied down and snuggled 'I love you, mommy." She said tiredly before she closed her eyes.

Felicity lied down herself and observed Mia. She had a little smile on her face, probably dreaming of happy things. The story she told reminded her that she needs to not only trust Mia but Nyssa. Mia to know the proper way to use a knife and Nyssa to instruct her. Closing her eyes, Felicity drifts off to sleep peacefully

_**~Bloomsfield, Sunday, June 20th, 2032,~**_

The door opened and shut hastily as Mia's quickened steps cantered into the kitchen and she held out the gallon of milk "Here." She said with barely concealed anger. Felicity looked at her daughter with concern as she took the milk "What's crawled up your butt?" She asked curiously as she went to open the fridge and put the milk in then close the fridge. Mia huffed angrily "Nothing." She denied but her body language said differently. Felicity gave her daughter a pointed look "I married the king of broodiness so I think I know when someones pissed off and brody so what happened?" She questioned calmly.

Mia shook her head "Not now." She said before she strutted out the back door, slamming the door in the process. Felicity sighed in dismay, one thin Mia definitely inherited from Oliver was his broodiness. Felicity will have to wait a bit before Mia's ready to confide in her what happened but she will but her frustrations will be dealt with on Mia's terms before she's ready to tell anyone.

Mia's grunts and yells seem to go on for hours as she practiced her fighting, knife throwing, and archery. The sun had already started to set when Mia came into the house, seeing her mother the table, a plate of food sitting across from her "I thought you might be hungry so I made you a plate." She said hopefully. When Mia had come back from the store it was barely noon so she didn't have lunch before she went all growly, Mia went over, sat down and started to eat "Thank you." she said quietly after a few bites. Felicity nodded " You welcome. Are you ready to tell me why you came home all huffy and puffy now?" She wondered patiently.

Mia sighed and put her fork down "Just the cashier bashing vigilantes particularly the Green Arrow cause he went on and on about how Star city and the rest of the world would be better without them." She ranted, gritting her teeth angrily. Felicity sighed "Mia, people are going to think what they think and say what they will. Nobody can stop them." She said knowingly. Mia groaned as she stood up from the table "Yeah, but maybe we can prove them wrong." She protested nonchalantly.

Felicity crossed her arms "How? By going out and saving people? That's reckless Mia and we could be discovered and killed. No, it's too dangerous" She pointed out, shaking her head ignoring her guilt. Mia pouted "But mom we could do some good. Some real good by going out there." She protested. Felicity closed her eyes "Sorry Mia, but this is just too big and too dangerous for us." She refused strongly. "But what about Overwatch? You helped people then!" She pushed. Felicity shook her head "Overwatch was part of a team and the team was fully trained. I'm sorry Mia but no." She shut down the idea. Mia gaped at her mom "But mom!" She protested. Felicity looked at Mia sternly "No, Mia! Being in the field isn't the same as training and you're thirteen. Absolutely not another world." She refused certainly.

Mia's face turned stoic "I hate you!" She shouted before running out of the kitchen. A door slammed a few minutes later causing Felicity to flinch "She'll understand when she has kids of her own." She thought knowingly, grabbing the plate and putting it in the fridge. After a few hours, Felicity went to Mia's door and knocked "Mia, are you awake? Can we please talk?" She questioned cautiously. Silence answered her "Mia, please?" She said a hint of desperation in her voice. "Mom, just go away. I want to be alone." Mia's muffled voice said. Felicity sighed "Ok, I'll be in my room if you want to talk." She told her before walking away.

Both Felicity and Mia stayed apart for the rest of the night, in the morning they reconciled but Mia told her mom that she was too old for the stories on fathers day. Felicity's heart broke a little but accepted her daughter's request as she wasn't a little girl anymore.

_**~Star City, Sunday, June 19, 2039,~ **_

Sitting on the desk in the middle of her living space, Mia pressed the ice pack to her cheek to stop the swelling, it had been a hell of night fighting "Good thing I already wrapped up my hands." She thought, glancing at her bandaged hands. She had more aggression tonight than she does others, it was father's day today and it was different than other father's day... she's not spending it with her mom. Despite the fight that led her to Star City, she loves her mom, she's still furious but she loves her.

Mia hears her cell phone ring, she grabbed the phone from across her, put the phone up and answered: "Surprised you called and how did you get this number?" She demanded angrily at her mother. On the other side, Felicity sighed deeply "Mia just because I haven't called doesn't mean I wouldn't and the answer to your second question is I looked your number up." Her mother replied patiently. Mia huffed in annoyance "Good old hacking. You could've just come and asked me in person." She said angrily. "I did, Mia." Felicity's voice said from behind her.

Mia quickly turned her head to see her mother in the doorway. Disconnecting the call and slamming the phone onto the desk, Mia clutched the ice pack tightly as she hopped off the desk "What are you doing here?" She demanded hotly. Felicity sighed "I wanted to see how you're doing so, I tracked you down." She answered wearily. Mia scoffed in disbelief "You came to Star city to what? See me in a few fights and try to drag me back home? Sorry mom but that's not happening." She guessed bitingly. Felicity closed her eyes "Mia, I just wanted to come here and tell you that I'm going underground for a while." She told her daughter. Mia raised her brow "Mom, why are you going underground? Is this because of your vigilante hacking?" She questioned confused.

Felicity opened her eyes and looked into Mia's "Yes because of hacking but before I did I just wanted to ask if we could stay in touch?" She asked yet phased it as a question. Felicity knew her daughter was still mad that she lied, she just hoped that this could be a stepping stone to reconciling Mia numbly nodded "Yes, we can." She said softly. Felicity spread her arms out "A hug for the road?" She wondered cautiously, with a smile. Mia hesitated but rolled her eyes as she walked into her mother's embrace. After a few minutes, both let go and Felicity walked to the door "I'll talk to you soon." She bid farewell to her daughter quietly. Mia nodded as her mother left.

As Mia grabbed the tumbler of Scotch, poured and drank some of the liquor, the burn alive in her throat _"Maybe this Fathers day wasn't so bad after all." She thought as she pours more scotch._

_**~Star City, June 1, 2040,~ **_

Strapping the last Velcro strap, Mia looked at her brother "Are you sure about the coordinates?" She asked for what seemed the thousandth time, trying not to sound nervous. William sighed and looked at his sister annoyed "Yes I am. As I was the last twenty times." He assured her knowingly. Mia looked down at her hands "I just want to..." She started to say but William held up his hand to stop her. He shook his head "I know you do. All of us do." He said knowingly.

The coordinates they're talking about might lead to where their father, Oliver Queen might be held. They want them to be true... everyone especially William, Mia, and Felicity. Felicity because she hasn't seen her husband and the love of her life since Mia was a baby, William because the last time he talked to his dad they weren't on the best of terms and William feels guilty because he never patched things up. Mia is conflicted because all her life she's wanted to know her dad but now that she might get her chance to know him, it's different now... she's an adult. When she was a kid she hadn't been through much but she was still guarded because of what her mom told her about what happened before she was born.

How the city turned on vigilantes and her parents went into hiding but now she's guarded because of what she's seen in the city how it's turned from the city it was to the slum today. To her dad she'll still be a baby and that'll be an adjustment for them and everyone else since time has passed... but despite everything, She deep down wants the chance to now her dad more than anything, it'll take a while but hopefully they'll have a relationship. What's going to happen?

Mia sighed heavily "I've wanted a relationship with dad for as long ever since I was a kid but things are different. I'm not a little girl anymore but to him, he probably thinks I'm still a baby girl. I don't know how to even start a relationship with him after everything." She explained wistfully and confused. William nodded "I wondered the same after I moved in with him after my mom died and yeah, it was hard for both of us. I was mad and blamed him for my mom's death while he was on a learning curve and didn't really know how to talk to a kid let alone his son. But if it wasn't for Felicity, it would've taken a lot longer for us to connect." He explained wistfully.

Mia s jaw dropped "Mom really helped you connect with dad?" She questioned in awe.

"I did. He just needed to see your dad in a different light. Not as a murderer but a loving brother, hero, mentor and eventually father and husband." Their mother explained as she came between them and put her arms around them. Mia looked at her mom "Do you think that..." She started to asked but faltered in the middle, too nervous to ask the question. Felicity blew out a puff of air "That the coordinates are where your father is?" She finished knowingly. Mia nodded "Mia, I know its possible but I need to hold on to hope that these coordinates will lead to your dad. I can't even think about the other possibility right now." She answered confidently, unwavering.

Mia gulped and nodded while Felicity shook her head "I came in to see if you guys were ready to go. Are you?" She wondered curiously, looking at both of them. William and Mia glanced at each other than at Felicity and nodded "Let's go then." Felicity said certainly before she unwrapped her arms, turned around and walked out with William following her.

Mia looked around the bunker, taking a deep breath before putting on a determined looked she confidently walked the same steps her mother and brother just took. She let go of the little girl she had been but until she found her dad, she'd fight like hell for both of them.

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**Thankks for reading!**


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